Solderless-can-capping machine



M. ARMATO S6LDERLESS CAN CAP'PING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 31. 1923 NH: v a a? -TEW w I -M June 17. 1924- 1,497,830

MJARMATO SOLDERLESS CA N CAPPING MACHINE Filed March 31. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 17, 1924.

NITED STATES PATENT MELCHIOR ARMATO, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

I SOLDERLESS-GAN-GAIPEING. MACEIN E Application filed March 31, 1923, Serial No. 628,968,

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, MELCHIOR ARMA'ro, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Solderless-Can-Capping Machines, of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to cap closure applying apparatus whereby cans and other, containers may be sealed without the use of solder, my purpose more particularly being to improve the construction of the can seal ing apparatus disclosed in my prior application, Serial Number 471,184, by providing a more simplified arrangement ofparts, by

In the drawings wherein like characters ofreference denote corresponding parts in the different views Figure 1 is a side elevation of cansealing apparatus embodying the novel and essential features of my invention;

Figure 2, a front elevation; Figure 3, an enlarged detail view partly in vertical section of the crimping mechanism;

Figure 4, a detail section through one of the rods;

Figure 5, a detail section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3; a

Figure 6, a detail section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3; and

Figure 7 an enlarged view showing the can sealed.

With particular reference to Figure 7 of the drawings it will be observed that a can or other container of the type adapted to be sealed byv the mechanism constituting my invention is provided initially with an open ing bordered by an upwardly extending flange, while the cap that is adapted to close this opening is provided with a marginal channel that. receives said flange, the purpose ofmy improved apparatus being tobend orcrnnp the metal constituting saidifiange and" forming said channel in such manner'as to provide a fluid tight" seal between the can and cap without the use'of solder or other sealing substances.

A preferred embodiment I of my improvedmechanism or apparatus for accomplishing the foregoing purpose as illustrated; in the" drawings consists of a standard 10 thatis extended laterally at its upper end -to provide a journal or support 11 fora vertical? shaft 12, which shaft'has mounted thereon; above the support 11,21 bevelgear'l that meshes with a similar gear 14 man electric mot'or 15 whereby said shaft is driven. Gear 13 bears either directly or indirectly-against:

the upper face of the support ll to hol'c'l the shaft against downward movement, but may be secured in different positions along the shaft whereby the latter/may be longitu dinally, i. e. vertically adjusted. Below tlie:

support 10 saidshaft has threaded thereon, a

collar 16 that bears either directly or indirectlv against the under face of the support to hold the shaft against upwardmovement,

said collar being adjustable alonglsaid'shaft to permit vertical adjustments. of the shaft, 1 with respect toits support.

At its lower end shaft 12 terminates; in an enlarged head or sleeve 17, the bottom portion of which is ofcylindrical sh ape,"while;

its top portion is of conical shape, being flared upward and outwardtoprovide a cam 1.8. Vithin the bore 19 of thissleeve isslid} ably fitted the upper endofa preferably but not necessarily cylindrical member, 20, which is provided with opposed lugs 25 carrying pins 26 on which are intermediately pivoted substantially vertically extending levers 27,

the upper ends of which terminate adjacent to the cam 18, while their lower ends carry rollers 28 in the form of dished disks that are arranged at an inclination upward and outward with respect to the axis of the member 20 as shown. The upper end of each lever has threaded therein a screw member 29 that is provided with a ball head 30 for engagement with the cam 18 whereby said cam functions, when the member 20 is moved upward within the sleeve 17, to move the upper ends of said levers outward and as a consequence to move the rollers inward. The screw members 29 are for the purpose ofsecuring adjustment to cause a greater or lesser amount of inward movement of the rollers proportionately to equal amountsof upward movement of the member 20. Lock nuts 31 are provided whereby desired adjustments of the screw members maybe maintained. Normally the lower ends of the levers 27 and the rollers carried thereby are urged relatively outward and the members 29 maintained in contact with the sleeve by a single spring in the form of a bowed inherentlyresilient member 32 that extends around the member 20 and at its ends engages with and presses outward against saidlevers. The collar 24, being threaded on the member 20 is adjustable longitudinally of the member whereby further adjustability between the levers and the cam is provided, a set screw 33 being provided to lock said collar in selected adjusted position.

The shaft 12'is hollow and the member 20 is provided with a bore, and extending through saidshaft and the bore of said member is a rod 34. This rod at its lower end is provided with a die 35 in the form of a horizontally arranged disk that is engageable within a can cap to be crimped and the peripheral edge of which is curved upward and outward for cooperation with the rollers'28 to effect the crimping operation. it being observed in this connection that by dishing the upper faces of the rollers, clearance .is provided between said upper faces and the die when the rollers are moved inward during crimpin member 20 and the rolirs carried thereby are rotatable around the rod 34 and the die 35 and the latter is held against rotation as by means of'a block 35 that is secured to the rod and has a forked end 36 non-rotatably but slidably engaging a rib 37 on a gear housing case or bracket 38 fixed to the support llfThe rod is slidable through the shaft 12, but is held against sliding movement relative to the member 20 by ward, the rod and die. also are moved downward. An anti-friction bearing 4O is provided between the upperface of the die and the lower'end of the member 20 whereby of the cap. The

Consequently, I

turning movement of the member is substantially unresisted by the die.

Mounted for longitudinal movement within suitable bracket arms 41 extending laterally from the standard 10 is a vertical rod 42 that is disposed preferably in axial alinement with the rod 34 and at its upper end carries a plate 43 on which a can 44 to be sealed is adapted to be seated. On said .rod 42 is secured ai'block 45 having spaced lugs between which operates one end of an intermediately pivoted lever 46, the other end of which is connected by a link 47 with a foot treadle 48 whereby downward pressure on said treadle serves to elevate the can. A spring 49 secured at one end to the link 47 and at its other end to the standard 10 serves to urge the rod 42 normally downward.

The operation of my improved mechanism is apparent and is as follows The motor 15 being in operation, a can to be sealed with a cap disposed in covering relation to the flanged opening in the top thereof, is seated on the plate 43 and pressure applied to the treadle 48 to elevate the can. As the can is thus moved upward, the die 35 is received in the cap and the latter is first forced home over the flange on the can and an initial shaping imparted to the cap and flange by the upwardly and outwardly flared periphery of the die. Upon continued upward movement of the can, the die, and with it the rod 34 and member 20, are moved upward, causing the rotating levers 27 to coact with the rotating cam 18 to move the rotating rollers 28 inward against the cap and flange and thus coact with the die to crimp and seal the cap. Upon release of the foot treadle, spring 23 moves the member 20, die 35 and rod 34 downward to their original position and spring 32 operates to move the rollers 28 outward away from the cap, all parts of the mechanism thus being restored to normal position in readiness to again be operated when the sealed can is removed from the plate 43 and another can placed thereon.

The adjustability between the different coacting parts of the mechanism renders the latter capable of effective operation on cans constructed of diflerent weight or thickness of material, while considered in its entirety said mechanism consists of a minimum number of strong, durable parts compactly arranged. Any desired number of rollers may be provided and means other than that illustrated may be provided to elevate the cans, in fact various changes and desirable additions may be made in and.

to the mechanism disclosed within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claim. 7

I claim Can sealing apparatus comprising a support, a one-piece rotatable hollow shaft journaled in said support, means to adjust said shaft longitudinally through said support and to hold the same against longitudinal movement from its adjustedposition, a sleeve formed on said shaft, a cam surface on said sleeve, an exteriorly threaded member longitudinally slidable within said sleeve, a pin and slot connection between said sleeve and member whereby the two are rotatable in unison and relatively slidable longitudinally within predetermined limits, means constantly urging said member toward its outermost limit of sliding movement with respect to said sleeve, a collar threaded on said member whereby it may be adjusted longitudinally of the member, a pivoted lever carried by and rotatable with said collar, a roller carried by said lever, a rod within and longitudinally movable through said sleeve and shaft, a connection between said member and rod whereby the two are longitudinally movable in unison, a die on said rod engageable within a can cap to be crimped, and a cooperative connection between the cam on said sleeve and said lever whereby inward longitudinal movement of the die, rod and member moves said roller towards said die.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

MELCHIOR ARMATQ. 

